


Made of Time and Choices

by Mia_Zeklos



Series: Steven Moffat Appreciation Week [2]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-12
Updated: 2014-11-12
Packaged: 2018-02-25 03:11:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2606294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mia_Zeklos/pseuds/Mia_Zeklos
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The monsters are back and Melody knows there's nowhere to go. Little does she knows that this time, they've brought help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Made of Time and Choices

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day Two of the Steven Moffat Appreciation Week – 'your favourite villain' - and I chose the Silence.  
> As you can probably guess, this takes place right before the beginning of season 6 and I’ve tried to make it as canon-compliant as possible and yet still added my own headcanon as to how Mels got to Amy and Rory.  
> Also, I made a parallel with River in Day of the Moon when she looked at the Silence and said, “I see you,” so there’s a wink to that as well here. This seems to be the week of experiments – never written Tasha or Melody before – so once again, I’d love to know what you think.

The corridor ahead of her was empty, or so it seemed, but this couldn’t fool her. Not anymore. It had happened before, so many times, and even if she couldn’t remember it in detail, it was enough for her to know how dangerous they were.

Melody was completely silent as she made her way down the stairs, her bare feet padding on the wooden floor soundlessly. She knew that leaving her room wasn’t the brightest thing to do all things considered, but he knew that she had to warn him. There was a man who lived here – a man who took care of her sometimes, even if he seemed a little confused as to who she was -  and she had to warn him of the threat that reigned here. She often told him and he never listened, but she still did it every time. She had to let him know that they were here.

There was movement to her left and Melody flinched, nearly dropping the candle she’d taken with her from her room. She slowly looked sideways and saw nothing but the window and her distorted reflection on it, making her look pale and almost unrecognisable on the reflected light of her candle. If she hadn’t been in the same position hundreds of times, she probably wouldn’t have realised that it was her looking back from the reflection.

There was a storm raging outside and the water was sliding down the glass like ropes of ice. New York was invisible through all of the wind and rain, and Melody was disappointed. It was a pity, really; on a good night, the lights from the city were beautiful and she could just sit and look at them for hours until she was certain that she’d be able to fall asleep and that the room was empty.

But that was on a good night. And there was nothing particularly good about tonight. It was two in the morning if the clock on the wall was anything to go by (and Melody knew that they sometimes changed it to confuse her), it was cold and she was alone but not alone, and not even the caretaker could be found.

There it was again; just a hint of movement behind her back and Melody swirled around; the flame of the candle flickering.

“I see you,” she said, voice trembling. She didn’t, of course, and even if she had, she wouldn’t know it, but it always seemed to make them go away. Or at least step back. She wasn’t even sure they understood her properly. “Did you hear me?” She said, a bit louder this time. “I see you.”

More movement behind her and she ran without looking back; ran down the stairs and in the direction of the only person in the building. Not the perfect help, but it would still be something. She wouldn’t be alone and when they were here, not being alone was what saved her life.

She collided with something tall and solid and warm and dropped the candle, squeezing her eyes shut. “No, please,” she whimpered. “Please, don’t.” Someone’s hands caught her by her forearms and Melody started trembling, resorting to the last – and only – weapon she had. The one that always made them back off. “Madam doesn’t want you to hurt me, she’ll punish you if you hurt me.” She remembered the woman that sometimes took her away from ‘training’, as she called it, and even if her face and her actual name were in the same fog that hid the appearances of her monsters, she was told to address her as ‘madam’ and she knew that no one was allowed to do anything to her. Her voice raised even more as she got more and more desperate. “Madam won’t let you hurt me, she wants me safe, she–”

“Melody.” The voice stunned her into silence. It was feminine, quiet and shockingly human, given the circumstances. “Melody, calm down. Listen to me.” When the trembling didn’t stop, the woman’s grip on her arms tightened. “ _Calm down_. I’m here to help you.”

Melody dared to look up then and was faced with a tall, slender woman in a black dress. Her face looked like it was hidden behind a mask but her eyes were wide and sincere and she finally allowed herself to relax.

The woman smiled encouragingly and crouched down until they were eye to eye. “That’s it. You see? Everything is going to be all right.”

Melody shook her head slowly. “No, it’s not. You have to get out. They’re here. I can feel it.”

“They won’t hurt you.” The woman reached up and Melody flinched, expecting a slap and instead receiving warm, long fingers that caressed her face soothingly. “They’re not the ones you usually see.”

“I can feel it,” she repeated almost frantically. “They’re all the same; no one but Madam can control them.”

“I can. And I told you – they aren’t the ones you think they are. They’re harmless.”

“Then why did you bring them with you?” Her voice had started trembling again and Melody soon realised that it was out of her control. “Who are you?”

“I’m Tasha.” The smile was there once more. “And they’re here to help me help you. They help me pilot my ship.”

“You’ve got your own ship?” There was no little amount of awe in Melody’s voice. She had been on a starship, of course – that was where her training always happened – but she had never been taken on one for travelling. “Where are you going to take me? Madam will find me.”

“She will,” Tasha admitted. “She’ll always find you. But I can at least take you to a place you like.” There was another gentle touch, this time to her shoulder. “So tell me: where do you want to be?"

“I want my Mum and Dad,” she said quietly. She’d heard other children – back when there were children in the orphanage she was inhabiting – say the same thing and had wanted it more than anything else. “Can you take me to them?”

Tasha nodded. “Yes. Can you tell me their names?”

Melody shook her head. “I don’t know who they are.” She had also heard Madam say that they weren’t in the same time as her, but she didn’t say it out loud. Maybe Tasha would agree to help her if it sounded easy.

The woman sighed. “Can you give me your finger?” When Melody obediently extended her hand towards her, Tasha started rummaging through the pockets of her robes and finally took out a syringe. “I thought it might come to this,” she said and, with no other warning, plunged it straight into her finger.

Melody hissed with the pain but didn’t otherwise react and yet Tasha seemed to understand what bothered her. “I’m going to trace your blood to your parents,” she explained and despite her patronising expression, Melody could proudly say that she understood perfectly – she’d needed to find a DNA match. Some of the lessons with Madam hadn’t been about killing and they seemed to have their good sides. “No matter what time zone they are in, I’m going to find them. How does that sound?”

“When will you come back?” Melody asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.

“As soon as possible,” Tasha assured her. “Just a few days and you’ll see your parents.”


End file.
